Separating Truth from Lies
by LittleMrsAdams
Summary: Harry's whole life has been one big lie. Will he be able to sort out the mess to find truth? hp/lv slash, severitus, ron, hermione, dumbledore and light side bashing. Request from DarkAngel048, please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

_**Ok, so this isn't a new chapter sorry! Its just the beta'ed version. Thank you DarkPrincessKatia for looking this over for me! There were no major changes, just some spelling corrections, so its not really necessary for this to be re-read if you don't want to.**_

**A/N- Welcome to Ch. 1 of my newest fic! I know I have several other fics that I haven't finished yet and here I am, starting on another one. This is actually a request I received from animeangel088 about a month or so ago. It's a HP/LV pairing with Evil!Dumbledore, time travel, and Severus as Harry's father. It's AU/AR from the end of book 4 with only one character being pulled into the story from book 5. If you want to know exactly what the request was, you'll just have to read the story. **

**Warnings- Graphic child abuse and foul language in this chapter.**

**Disclaimer- My first initial may be a 'J'; however the following two are not 'KR' and the last time checked I didn't live anywhere near England. Therefore, I do not own Harry Potter and am making no money from writing on this site. Do you think if I were to ask nicely, I might get the copyrights to the books and movies for my birthday? No? I didn't think so either. **

_**Chapter 1**_

Private Drive was a nice normal street in a nice normal neighborhood. Every house in the area looked the same, and often times passer-bys wondered how the owners could tell their home from their neighbors. The fourth house on the street was no exception. Outwardly, there was no sign that unspeakable things were occurring to one, Harry James Potter, the youngest, and smallest, resident of the home.

Currently, Harry was lying facedown on a dingy mattress, trying desperately to hold in the cries of pain as his whale of an uncle brought down his belt again and again onto the boys already crisscrossed and bleeding back, all the while hurling insults and degradations at him.

_*whoosh*_

_*crack!*_

_*whoosh*_

_*crack!*_

It continued in this same painful rhythm for several more minutes before it stopped, and the only sounds to fill the small bedroom were Vernon's harsh breathing and the stifled sobs of the bloody mass that was Harry Potter.

"There freak, that ought to teach you to use that unnatural ability around us again, especially on Marge!"

Harry let out a quiet 'yes, Uncle Vernon' as the man let out a satisfied grunt and left the room, practically slamming the door behind him. Harry heard the clicks of the many locks clicking shut, wondering when he was going to be let out next. Soon after, Harry let the darkness pull him under; refusing to let his mind contemplate the events of the end of the Tri-wizard Tournament or the information that he had overheard in the hospital wing later that night.

Harry woke with a groan the next morning. His back felt like it was on fire and every tiny movement, every _breath_, was agony. Fortunately, or unfortunately, Harry was rather used to waking up in agony over the summer holidays. He took a moment to focus his magic inward and directed it to the wounds on his back. Harry thanked Merlin that the Ministry could not detect the wandless magic he had to use to help heal himself after one of his Uncle's 'punishments'. If they could, it would be highly likely that he would have been dead at his relatives hands several times over by now.

When his back was sufficiently healed so that he could move around, but not enough that would cause Vernon give him another punishment so soon, Harry got up off the bed and picked up a shirt and carefully pulled it over his head. He then went to the door, only to find out that it was still locked.

'_Well, I guess that answers the question of if I'll be let out today._'

Harry then went back to sit on his bed. With nothing to occupy his thoughts, they strayed to the end of his fourth and most recent year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Tri-Wizard Tournament had been a harrowing experience, but none of the tasks were as frightening as the unexpected port-key trip that ended in the death of fellow champion Cedric Diggory and the rebirthing of the Dark Lord Voldemort. However, it was not only the fact that his arch nemesis had come out of that half-life state that had Harry tossing around in nightmares, but the conflicting emotions that arose within himself.

Yes, there was fear and a whole host of other negative feelings swirling through his body at the time, but there was also a few that had Harry very frightened. For under the fear was a longing, a longing to break the bonds that had held him to that gravestone and run, not away from the newly risen Lord, but into his arms. And the _other_ feeling that had surfaced...well, that feeling made Harry want to vomit any time he even vaguely thought about it. There was absolutely _no possible way_ that he had felt _any _kind of _sexual_ attraction to the Dark Lord!

Harry didn't know if Voldemort had picked up on Harry's feelings or if he had similar feelings of his own, because if he did, the Dark Lord did a damn good job of hiding them. They had fought eventually, and Harry had just managed to escape with his life and Cedric's body. The Tri-Wizard Cup had taken them back to Hogwarts, where chaos had ensued and the next hour was just as terrifying as the last had been; what with the polyjuiced Mad-Eye Moody trying to kill him and having to relive the experience all over for the Headmaster.

However, as horrible as all that was, nothing could have prepared Harry for what he had overheard in the hospital wing when everyone had thought he was sleeping.

******Flashback******

Harry came around slowly, his other senses taking in his surroundings before opening his eyes. The sharp smell of antiseptics alone told Harry that he was in the hospital wing and the steady breathing and low murmur of voices told Harry that there were several people nearby. He opened his eyes and was a bit surprised to see Luna Lovegood, a girl he had met on the train at the beginning of the year and had become friends with, sitting in the chair beside his bed instead of Ron or Hermione or even Sirius.

He went to say something to the blue-eyed blond, but she reached over and put a hand on his mouth to silence him and nodded in the direction of the closed curtains. It was then that Harry could make out what was being said and wishing that he couldn't. Luna grabbed his hand and held it tightly while they listened to

"Now, Ron, Hermione, I expect you both to keep in contact with Mr. Potter over the summer and report back to me anything he tells you."

There was a huff of annoyance as Ron replied.

"I don't see why we have to keep in contact with the little bastard over the summer. Isn't it enough that we have to keep tabs on him during the year?"

"Ron, you know why we have to!" Hermione hissed, "If we don't, then Harry won't trust us anymore! Plus we won't get our pay! I for one have plans for that money and I know that your family counts on that money every month!"

Harry had gone pale and was trying to deny the words that he was hearing. There was no way that Ron and Hermione were just using him for his money! He wanted to scream and shout that it wasn't true, but the Slytherin part of his mind was telling him every word was true. The hand that was holding his tightened, bringing his focus away from the people outside the curtain and back to the girl sitting beside him. She had a sad look in her eyes, but under the sadness was an anger that both comforted Harry and left him a little afraid.

Luna got up quietly from her seat and leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"Watch out for the Nargles and the Crumple-Horned Snorkack. You mustn't let them know that we heard them or the Snorkack will destroy us both. I will contact you during the summer, expect my owl."

Harry gave a tiny nod of his head to show that he had heard and understood her words and would do his best to be careful around his supposed friends and the Headmaster. Luna left then, sneaking out without once alerting anyone to her presence. He briefly wondered how the blond was able to go unnoticed until it suited her purpose.

He pushed that thought from his mind and settled back into the hospital bed, closing his eyes and willing his body to relax so that no one would suspect that he had been listening in to at least part of the conversation. Harry then tried to prepare himself to act the part of naive friend and trusting pupil.

******End Flashback******

The memory made a shudder pass down Harry's back, which in turn made a wave of pain pass over his abused body. Deciding that thinking about that night was a bad idea in general, he focused on the one bright spot- the letter Luna said she was going to send. She hadn't said when she was going to send it, only to expect her owl and Harry decided to cling to the hope of the only honest contact from the outside world he would probably get all summer.

**A/N- Well, that's it for Chapter 1! I know that Harry met Luna at the beginning of fifth year, but I really wanted her in the story, so I had Harry meet her a year early. animeangel088, I hope that this first chapter makes you happy! Now, if you all would be so kind as to leave a review (flamers will be humiliated in the next chapter, however constructive criticism is always welcome) and let me know what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N- I forgot to mention in the first chapter that this is also a creature fic and people will probably be OOC a lot during this fic. This chapter has now been beta'ed by DarkPrincessKatia, and a few changes have been made.**

**Disclaimer- Do you see Harry and Voldemort going at it like rabbits in the series? I didn't think so, therefore, I do not own Harry Potter.**

letters

_'thoughts'_

**parseltongue**

_**Chapter 2**_

It had been about a week since the end of the school year and Harry's welcome home 'gift' and his back was finally beginning to heal. Vernon hadn't repeated that particular punishment yet, something that Harry was very grateful for. Not that he hadn't been punished for every perceived tiny infraction whether it was real or imagined, as Harry's upper arms and torso were now covered in numerous bruises and shallow cuts.

Harry was lucky that Vernon hadn't locked Hedwig in her cage this year as the owl made a terrible racket when locked up and he didn't want the other 'freaks' to become suspicious if Harry's owl were to suddenly die. Despite the relatively calm summer he'd had so far, Harry was starting to get nervous. He had yet to receive the promised letter from Luna and he was beginning to wonder if the blond had forgotten about her promise to him.

He needn't have worried about Luna forgetting about him though. The next night, a strange bird showed up with a letter and a small package. Harry let the unknown bird in and relived it of it's burdens, he figured this bird was from Luna, but was a little confused; she had said to expect her owl and this bird was more like a hawk. He just shrugged to himself, figuring that Luna just meant to expect her letter. Harry eagerly tore into the letter, desperate for some honest contact.

Dear Harry,

I apologize for not sending this sooner, but I had a more difficult time acquiring the item in the parcel than I had thought. It is an armband for protection from most magical attacks including potions, sorry but I couldn't do anything about preventing a muggle style attack, it will just help you to heal. The band has been forged in Dragon fire and dipped in Phoenix tears and Unicorn blood, both willingly given and has runes for protection and healing etched on it. It should serve you well, what with the two Heliopaths and the Aquavirius Maggot in the house with you and all the Nargles and the Snorkack at school.

The Blibbering Humdinger still refuses to acknowledge the return of the Umgubular Slashkilter, while the Slashkilter seems to be laying low for now.

If you can manage it, I would like to meet you in Diagon Alley this Saturday. There is no need to send a yes or no reply with Pax, that's my birds name by the way, he's an Osprey and isn't he just a lovely bird and so smart too! I will be in the Alley all day anyway so if you show up I'll find you.

Sincerely, 

Your friend

Harry just stared at the letter for a few moments before breaking into a quiet fit of laughter. Luna had a very unique way of referring to people that she wasn't particularly fond of and only people she liked got called by either semi-normal nicknames or their real name. He didn't even want to try and figure out how she would know if he were in Diagon Alley or not on Saturday. Harry did wonder _why_ Luna asked to meet and _how _she had known about what the Dursley's were like. He had never really told anyone about his treatment at their hands.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Harry opened the small box that had accompanied the letter, curious as to what the band looked like and eager to put it on. The band turned out to be very beautiful. It was actually two bands woven around each other so that Harry had a hard time telling where one ended and the other began. He couldn't tell what the bands were made of, as every time he moved the band the color would shift. The runes went around the center of each band and Harry could feel a sense of safety coming from it. He slipped the band onto his left arm and pushed it up so that it was hidden beneath his shirtsleeve. As soon as the band was in place, it flared a bright white and molded itself to his arm so that it fit perfectly. Harry sighed as his aches and pains were eased.

Harry once again wondered how Luna had known that he would need this. He guessed if he wanted any answers he would just have to find a way to Diagon Alley tomorrow. So, it was with half formed plans to get either his Aunt or Uncle to take him to London tomorrow that Harry fell asleep.

When Harry woke the next morning it was with a fully formed plan in mind. His Aunt was having dinner party later that evening and was going to be heading to London to pick up a few things. Now Harry knew that she would want him to clean the house while she was gone, but he was hoping to play on her desire to have him as far away as possible while her 'friends' were over.

Perhaps, if he used enough cunning, he would be able to convince her to let him stay at the Leakey Cauldron for the rest of the summer. However his hopes weren't high on that idea as his 'family' enjoyed having him around all too much to do the cooking and cleaning around the house. The only thing Harry was truly worried about was that he would need his wand to access the Alley and he thought that might be enough of a deterrent to keep his Aunt from agreeing.

It was just about time to get started on breakfast, so Harry decided he would use this time to try and get on his relatives good side. He went downstairs and began searching the kitchen for all the ingredients he would need for a full English breakfast. This was something that he was usually only required to make on Sundays, but he was going to try and use the meal to put his oh so loving relatives in a pleasant mood as food seemed to be the only way to accomplish this feat.

Even though his stomach was growling loudly at the smell of the food he was cooking, Harry didn't dare try and sneak any of it as it would be quite likely that one of his relatives would smell it on his breath. 'Stealing food', as his Uncle put it, would be a sure fire way to ruin any hope he had of getting to London later that day. Soon enough, Harry could hear his relatives stirring upstairs.

Just as he had finished putting the food on the table, Vernon and Dudley came barreling into the kitchen like two starving elephants and causing the whole house to shake. Petunia came in at a more sedate pace and smiled indulgently at the two whales who were simultaneously shoving food into their mouths and piling it onto their plates. She sat down and calmly filled her own plate with much smaller portions that the two males.

Harry did his best to ignore the sounds of the three eating and his own hunger as he went about refilling their glasses. He then went about cleaning the pots and pans he had used to cook with and wiping down the counters and stovetop, he then went and stood quietly in the corner, waiting for the Dursley's to finish eating. After what seemed like forever to Harry, Vernon sat back at the table with a satisfied grunt and a loud belch that made Harry want to shudder in disgust.

There were no thanks, and no leftover food, when they finally left the table but there weren't any complaints either, which Harry took as a good sign. He quickly cleared the table and finished off the dishes while his relatives were upstairs dressing for the day. He had just finished when Petunia came in and handed him a rather short list of chores to do.

"Finish these as fast as possible boy!" She snapped at him. "I want you to go to London with me today help me with the shopping!"

Harry knew this meant that he was going to be a pack mule for his Aunt, carrying all the bags and such, but he didn't much care about that at the moment. He was going to be going to London just like he wanted to and he hadn't even had to ask her to take him! Now, all he had to do was convince her to drop him off at Charring Cross Road - with his wand.

"Yes Aunt Petunia." He said, then added more carefully as she began to walk out of the kitchen, "Aunt Petunia, I...I was wondering if you could drop me off at Charring Cross Road on the way back from London. I want to go to the shopping area for...my sort...that way I would be out of the way for your dinner party tonight and if it's out of the way, I have some money left over from the Scholarship fund I get from my school that I converted into normal money and would be willing to give it to you for the extra trouble. The only thing is I would need my...stick...to access the center."

Harry chewed his lower lip nervously as he watched the desire be rid of Harry war with the desire to deny him anything that would make him happy. He wasn't about to tell her that in reality the extra money was from his private vaults and not from any kind of Scholarship fund at all.

"And would I have to come and get you later?" She asked, voice neutral.

"No, I can get transportation back, or if you'll let me take my trunk then I could stay away until the school term starts again."

"Fine, I'll tell Vernon the arrangement. I still expect you to finish those chores before we leave and to help with the shopping before I drop you off." Petunia said stiffly as she left the kitchen.

Harry could barely contain his grin as he went to complete the list of chores. It wasn't long before Vernon interrupted him. He was roughly pulled away from where he was cleaning the inside windows by a hand grabbing the back of his neck. Stars danced in front of his eyes as he was thrown into the wall, a hand around his throat pinning him there.

"Listen here boy," Vernon hissed in his ear, "Petunia told me that you asked her to drop you off at the place where all the _freaks_ like you gather, and that she agreed to do it. Since you're leaving, I don't want to see you back in this house for the rest of the summer, boy, so you had better take that blasted _trunk_ and _owl_ with you when you leave! Do you understand me, boy?" Vernon punctuated the question by shaking Harry harshly, causing him to hit his head on the wall again.

"Yes, I understand Uncle Vernon." Harry managed to gasp out around the hand that was still gripping his throat tightly.

"Good." Vernon grunted, giving the boy one last shake and adding a few punches to his ribs and stomach for good measure before releasing Harry and storming off.

Harry took a deep breath and coughed a little when his Uncle released him, gasping in pain for a moment before a wave of magic hit him, soothing the pain. In that moment Harry had was extremely grateful to Luna and her gift. After that, he was able to finish his chores which included weeding the garden, vacuuming the house and scrubbing the floors.

When he was finished, he had just enough time to let Hedwig out of her cage, giving her instructions to meet him in Diagon Alley, take a quick shower and change clothes before he had to get his trunk, which his Aunt had already taken the lock off of, and load it into the car trunk. He removed his wand and a roll of bills to give his Aunt when she dropped him off.

Soon Harry found himself in the backseat of his Aunts car and on his way to London. They seemed to arrive rather quickly to Harry and he soon found himself carrying numerous bags and loading them into the car. When they had finished, Petunia dropped Harry off on Charring Cross Road near the entrance to the Leakey Cauldron. Harry got out of the backseat and pulled his things from the car trunk, only giving his Aunt the money after he had everything that was his, which wasn't much, out of the car.

As soon as she had the money, Petunia took off, leaving Harry to drag his trunk into the pub. Harry looked around the pub and was rather surprised to Luna sitting in a corner table and waving at him to come over. He was even more surprised to see that she had two hot plates of food sitting before her and that one of them was obviously meant for him.

"Hello Harry, I just knew you would be able to make it today." She said with a dreamy smile as Harry took the seat across from her. "Why don't you go ahead and eat and then we can get you a room and head to Gringotts."

Harry paused in his meal and blinked at the blond across from him.

"Um, Luna, why exactly are we going to Gringotts?"

Luna just gave him another dreamy smile and a rather short answer of "You'll find out soon enough, Harry. You'll find out soon enough."

**A/N- I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I know that it was kind of slow and maybe a little boring, but necessary. Now, if all of you wonderful people out there could find it in yourselves to leave a review, it would be much appreciated!**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N- Ok, so, I'm keeping to canon with some things about Luna like her father still runs the Quibbler and her mother has died (I'm too lazy to come up with a completely new background for her). However, the Quibbler won't print those crazy stories like in canon and her mother didn't die in an experiment and not when she was nine. Oh, and all the names she uses to refer to people are names of her fantastical creatures from canon. This chapter has now been beta'ed by DarkPrincessKatia, and some changes have been made.

Warnings- Swearing in this chapter.

Disclaimer- Do you see Harry going dark and shagging the Dark Lord in canon? No? Then I don't own Harry Potter. The only thing I claim are the random Goblin and House Elf names that don't exist in canon.

_Chapter 3_

**Harry was only able to finish about half the meal before his stomach began to protest. Even though he had only been at the Dursley's for about a week, he had only been allowed to eat a couple of times, and even then it had been stale bread and a bit of water. He pushed the plate away and looked at Luna apologetically, but she didn't seem to be offended that he had not finished the meal she had purchased for him. She just smiled in that way that made you think that she wasn't quite right in the head, stood, and pulled Harry - trunk and all - from the bar and into the entrance to the Alley.**

**Harry was confused. Hadn't Luna said something about getting him a room? If that's what they were doing, why on earth were they leaving the Leakey Cauldron? It was the only place that Harry was aware of that rented rooms in Diagon Alley and he had no desire to find a place in Knockturn Alley. **

"**Uh, Luna, I thought that we were going to get me a room..."**

"**Oh, we are Harry."**

"**Then why are we leaving the Leakey Cauldron?" He asked as she began to pull him down the Alley.**

"**The Leakey Cauldron? I never said you'd be staying there."**

**Harry just looked at the blond for a moment, wondering where she was taking him then. He didn't have long to wait to find out though because a few moments later Luna was pulling open the door to one of the shops lining the street. Harry was shocked, and more than a bit confused, to find himself standing in the middle of Ollivander's wand shop. He wanted to ask what they were doing there, but words had utterly failed him.**

"**Hello, Luna dear. How are you this fine day? And Mr. Potter, what a wonderful surprise! May I ask what brings you here today? I do hope there isn't a problem with your wand dear boy." Mr. Ollivander said, coming around the counter to give Luna a hug and shake Harry's hand.**

**"Hello sir, there's no problem with my wand, Luna brought me in here." Harry replied, thoroughly confused.**

**Ollivander looked over to Luna who was standing there, staring around the shop.**

**"Yes Grandfather, I was wondering if you still had that extra room in your flat upstairs. Harry here needs a place to stay where the Crumple-Horned Snorkack and others won't think to look for him"**

**Ollivander looked between Luna and Harry for a moment before giving a smile that made Harry a bit nervous. Not that he was afraid of the older man, there was just something about the way the man seemed to look right through you that unnerved Harry and the smile did nothing to really help the sensation.**

**"Of course Mr. Potter is welcome to stay here for as long as he needs to. Why don't you take him upstairs and show him around?"**

**Luna didn't need anymore prompting than that and quickly pulled Harry up a second set of stairs he was sure hadn't been there before. They were narrower than the set that was beside the shop's counter and led to a separate landing and door. Harry had so many questions about what was going on that he had no idea where to even start. It was like his brain had shut down and he was now simply moving on auto-pilot. His mind finally reengaged when they reached the landing at the top of the stairs and Harry asked, what he soon realized was, a very stupid question. **

**"Where did those stairs come from?"**

**Luna gave him an odd look as if to say 'Of all the things to ask about, you wonder where the **_**stairs **_**came from?'. Harry flushed slightly, realizing that was indeed a very idiotic question, however Luna answered anyway.**

**"They were always there. They just remain hidden unless Grandfather lets you upstairs." Luna said, then turned around, pushed the door open, and led Harry into her Grandfather's flat. It was an open space that consisted of a living room, kitchen and dining area, and had four doors leading off the main room. It was a nice place, done in hard woods and neutral colors.**

**Luna led him over to one of the doors and opened it, revealing what Harry assumed was the spare bedroom because it held no traces of any sort of personal touches and contained the bare minimum of furniture. He sat his trunk at the end of the bed, opened the little window for Hedwig to come in, and then looked around, unsure as to what to do next. Luna seemed to understand his confusion and led him back out of the room to show him around a bit. The door across from his led to Ollivander's rooms while the door next to his connected to a workroom and office for the wand shop and the door near the kitchen led to a rear entrance to the living quarters, making comings and goings easier than going through the front of the shop constantly. **

**When Luna was finished giving Harry the tour, they left through the rear entrance and, after going down a flight of steps, were in an alley by the shop that led back into Diagon Alley. Luna then began answering his unasked questions.**

"**Ollivander was my mother's father. It wasn't safe for you to stay anywhere that the Snorkack or the Slashkilter would look for you, so I brought you here. Besides, the office for my father's paper, The Quibbler, is across the street so I can come and visit you often." Luna said as they made their way to Gringotts Bank. They entered the bank and went up to one of the Goblins who happened to be unoccupied. **

**"Hello, we would like to speak with someone from your Inheritance Department." Luna said.**

**The Goblin looked at them critically for a moment then turned and led them down one of the passageways off the main hall. The passage they entered wasn't one that led to the vaults below, but down a level hall lined with doors at semi-regular intervals, and, while the floor and walls were not made of marble, neither were they the rough stone of the vault passages. They were the natural stone, but it was smooth and polished till the torch light reflected off the surfaces.**

**They went to near the end of the hall and their guide led them to a door that said **

**Inheritance Department**

**Goblin in Charge- Thorin Stronghammer **

**They were ushered through the door and found themselves in an office lined with bookshelves and various examples of Goblin made armor and weapons. There was a fireplace, though the grate was empty and a desk with a few chairs around it. Behind the desk sat an older Goblin that was looking over some parchments. He looked up when the door opened and watched as Harry and Luna took the seats across from him.**

"**Welcome back, Miss Lovegood. As I recall, it wasn't that long ago you were in here with your father to claim part of your mother's line. And Mr. Potter, I was wondering when you would be in, or if you would ever be in to claim your rightful inheritance from both your mother's and father's sides."**

**Harry blinked in shock and confusion. His rightful inheritance? What in the world did that mean? He wasn't aware he had an inheritance other than the single vault he used for school. His confusion must have shown, because Thorin frowned at him.**

"**Were you unaware of your inheritance Mr. Potter? Your magical guardian told us here at Gringotts that he would inform you of it once you turned thirteen and would escort you in to claim it at that time. He then came in and told us that it would have to wait as you were extremely busy and did not know when you would be able to come in."**

"**I'm sorry, but whoever was supposed to give me this information never did, and I can assure you that I wasn't busy the summer of my thirteenth birthday. In fact, I was staying at the Leakey Cauldron at the time, so it would have been very simple for me to come to the bank. May I ask who my magical guardian is?" Harry asked, having the feeling that he already knew the answer.**

"**Of course, it is Albus Dumbledore." Thorin answered.**

**Even though Harry had already suspected that was the case, it still made him want to smash things.**

"**Master Stronghammer, would it be possible to do a Blood Lineage Ritual for Harry?" Luna asked, breaking the tense silence that had fallen.**

**Thorin seemed to consider this for a moment, then gave a brisk nod and retrieved a quill, dagger, a small golden bowl, a scroll, and some kind of ointment from the bottom drawer of his desk and set them in front of Harry.**

"**Alright Mr. Potter, if you would allow me to cut your left palm with the dagger then allow some of the blood to fall into the bowl please." **

**Harry let Thorin slice his palm with the dagger and was rather surprised when the band Luna had given him did not cause it to heal right away. Once again, Luna anticipated his question before he had asked it.**

"**The ritual is designed to circumvent any kind of magical healing save for the balm on the desk there." **

**Harry nodded, unsure what to say, and turned his attention back to the Goblin who was still holding his hand over the bowl. When it was about half full, Thorin took some of the balm and spread it across the wound, causing it to close instantly.**

"**Now, if you would place the quill into the bowl and allow it to soak up some of the blood then write your full name on the parchment." Thorin said, handing the black quill to Harry who immediately did as instructed.**

**After the quill had adsorbed about a quarter of the blood in the bowl, Harry pulled it out and wrote 'Harry James Potter' across the top of the parchment. After a few seconds, Harry's family history appeared on the page.**

_**Harry James Potter**_

_(Adoptive Name)_

_Birth Name- Aaron Carnell Snape_

_Blood Status- Pureblood _

_Birth Mother- Elizabeth Marion Weston_

_Adoptive Name- Lily Marie Evans_

_Blood Status- Pureblood _

_Birth Father- Severus Tobias Snape_

_Blood Status- Pureblood_

_Adoptive Father- James Mallory Potter_

_Blood Status- Pureblood_

It was silent in the office as everyone stared at the parchment. Harry thought that they must have done something wrong. There was no way- No. Fucking. Way. that Snape, _Snape! _of all people was his father. There had to be something wrong with the parchment, or- or there were traces of someone else's blood in the bowl or quill that got mixed in with his. Finally, Harry found his voice.

"This...this isn't right. There must be some mistake... something wrong with the parchment or remnants of someone else's blood in the bowl or quill or... or something!"

"I assure you there is amiss. We use a new quill for every client and the bowl is cleansed after every ritual to avoid such mistakes. As for the parchment, each one is embedded with spells and potions to prevent any form of fraud." Thorin answered calmly.

"WELL SOMETHING WENT WRONG BECAUSE THERE IS NO FUCKING WAY _SNAPE_ IS MY FATHER!" Harry bellowed, while jumping out of his chair with his magic crackling in the air around him.

Luna calmly pulled Harry back into his seat and spoke softly to him.

"Harry, the Goblins have never made a mistake like this before. The parchment is stating the truth."

Her calm words made Harry's anger dissipate, leaving him feeling rather empty and alone. He had family, the one thing he had always craved, and they hated him just as much as the Dursley's did.

"My father is alive. My father is alive and... and he hates me. He hates me." Harry whispered brokenly.

Luna didn't have anything to say to that. The animosity that Snape held for Harry was well known throughout the school. Though there was the possibility that Snape was unaware of his status as Harry's father, but Luna wasn't about to pose the idea to Harry yet as it was likely to set his temper off again.

"Mr. Snape-" Thorin began only to be cut off by a request from Harry that they continue to refer to him as 'Mr. Potter' "There is still a second half to the ritual. This only revealed your parentage and blood status. The next half will reveal any titles, creature inheritances and any houses you are the heir to along with any powers you will gain."

Harry nodded numbly, hardly able to process any more information. His mother was a pureblood and his father was someone who hated him- compared to that, surely nothing else could be any more shocking. Thorin got up from behind the desk, taking the remaining blood with him, and took them to a blank stretch of wall. He ran his finger down one of the seams between the stones, making part of the wall melt away, revealing a small anti-chamber.

The three of them entered, and as soon as they were over the threshold, the wall closed behind them, except there was a door instead of a blank expanse of wall. There was a small pedestal in the center of the room with a glowing white orb perched on top. On the floor surrounding the pedestal was a circle of runes, but Harry had no idea what they signified.

"Mr. Potter, if you would step into the circle and place your hands on the orb."

He did as asked and felt a slight tingling sensation as his hands met the surface of the glowing artifact.

"Once we begin, you might feel slightly uncomfortable, but it shouldn't be anything too painful." Thorin warned and Harry gave a nod to show that he understood. He had a rather high level of pain tolerance and was sure that he could handle this.

Thorin then took the remaining blood and began to sprinkle it around the runes while chanting in a deep guttural language that Harry didn't recognize. As the first drops of blood hit the runes, little shockwaves started at Harry's hands and started traveling through his body. It wasn't so bad, at first, but the farther along Thorin went around the circle the pain intensified until Harry was biting his lip to hold in cries of pain. However, the pain he was feeling now was nothing- _nothing_- compared to the agony that coursed through his body when the circle was closed.

It felt as if he were being skinned alive, every bone was being broken, his muscles set on fire, and was being pulled apart at every joint - all at the same time. Harry tried to will himself to not scream, but he soon lost the battle and let out a blood curdling shriek that caused both Luna and Thorin to jump in shock.

Thorin was alarmed and confused. Never in all his time working this department had anyone had a reaction like Mr. Potter was. Of course the people with lower levels of pain tolerance had cried out at some point, but nothing like the bone chilling shrieks coming from the young man currently in the circle. And, that was nothing to say for the strange physical manifestations occurring. Mr. Potter's whole body seemed to be changing before their very eyes. It was no wonder he was screaming so, his whole body was obviously undergoing changes that would not normally occur for another year. It was a wonder that the young man hadn't passed out from the pain yet.

Luna had silent tears running down her face at the sight and sound of her best friend in pain. She had known that there _something _that was off about Harry, but never did she think that it was something this massive. Luna had sensed that her friend would be gaining a creature inheritance and had known that this ritual would reveal what it would be, however she didn't know that the ritual would force it to the surface early. If she had, she _never_ would have put Harry through this torment!

Finally- _finally-_ after what felt like hours, but was only a few minutes, the pain stopped. It left Harry gasping for air and darkness licking at the edges of his vision. He tried to take a step away from the pedestal, but found that his legs were unwilling, or unable, to support him any longer and he fell to the ground hard. His last thought before the darkness claimed him was '_Slightly uncomfortable my ass...'_

**A/N- Well that's the end of the chapter! Sorry for the cliffy... well no, no I'm not. I'm tired and it was hard enough to get this far, so if I added anymore it would probably be really crappy. Thus why I ended it here. Now to anyone who reads any of my other stories- I haven't given up on them, I'm just kind of stuck. **

**Oh, and if anybody knows a good reliable beta that can help me with my sometimes rambling chapters I would very much appreciate you leaving their name so I can contact them. Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N- Sorry that it's taken so long to update! Writer's block and computer problems are not a good combination. Anyway, I have a Beta! DarkPrincessKatia has been kind enough to look over the previous chapters, and between the two of us, we have fixed some things. So you might want to go give the other chapters a re-read so that things in future chapters make more sense. Sorry that I haven't replied to some of the reviews from last chapter. I have read them all though and appreciate them very much *smiles happily*. Anyway, enough rambling from the crazy Authoress- on with the chapter!**

**Guide for this chapter-**

_Letters and Documents_

_**Chapter 4**_

Harry came around a few minutes later, staring into the very worried face of Luna Lovegood. He blinked a few times, taking stock of his body's condition, and quickly realized that he still had a deep ache even though the ritual was over. Harry realized that they were still in the ritual room and that he was lying with his head on Luna's lap. He tried to move, just to find out that was not the best thing to do as it made his head hurt, so he simply laid back down, waiting for it to pass.

"Wha- what went wrong? That was more than slightly uncomfortable." He croaked out, his throat still a bit raw from screaming. Harry knew that Goblins had a different view of acceptable pain levels, but he really didn't think that what he had just experienced was considered 'slightly uncomfortable' by the even the Goblins.

"You are partially correct, Mr. Potter. Something did indeed happen, however it wasn't a problem with the ritual." Thorin said. "It seems that you had several blocks on your power and such, causing the ritual to break them to get an accurate reading. The strain of the artificial blocks breaking caused part of a creature inheritance to come in early." Thorin handed him a scroll that Harry took while still looking dazedly at the Goblin.

Harry carefully sat up, glad to note that the pain in his head had abated at least a little. He began to read, realizing after a few moments that his glasses were laying several feet away and yet he could see perfectly. He shrugged it off momentarily, attributing the change to whatever that ritual had done to him. Taking a deep breath, pleased that the pain in his throat was also fading fast, Harry turned his attention back to the scroll in his hands.

_Inheritance for Aaron Carnell Snape, also known as Harry James Potter_

_Lord of the house Gryffindor and Lord of the house of Potter through Blood Adoption by James Mallory Potter._

_Lord of the house of Weston and Heir to the house of Slytherin (through secondary line) by mother Elizabeth Marion Weston._

_Heir to the house of Snape and Heir to the house of Prince through father Severus Tobias Snape._

_Lamia creature inheritance through Weston line. Naturally blocked, now partially unblocked._

_Earth Elemental ability through Prince line. Ability artificially blocked, now fully unblocked._

_Air Elemental ability through Potter line. Ability partially artificially blocked, now fully unblocked._

_Bearer ability through Gryffindor line and Lamia inheritance. Ability artificially blocked, now fully unblocked._

_Parseltongue ability through Slytherin line and Lamia inheritance. Ability partially artificially blocked, now fully unblocked._

_Magical Sensitivity through Snape line. Ability partially artificially blocked, now fully unblocked._

Harry nearly dropped the scroll as his brain ground to a screeching halt. He had no idea what to think about first. Harry had little knowledge of what the Elemental abilities entailed except for what was obvious. He had even less knowledge of what a Lamia was. He knew they were exceedingly rare snake-like creatures and were usually women, so he was confused as to how he could be one. As for being a Bearer, he had no idea what that was, though he could make a good guess and _really _didn't like the thought. He could make a good guess as to what the Magical Sensitivity was, but he would still try and find any and all information on it just so he wouldn't be hit with any strange and possibly nasty surprises. It was quite apparent that he would soon be making a trip to Flourish and Blott's, perhaps even Knockturn Alley, to find suitable research material.

Harry put the scroll down and stared unseeingly at the tops of his hands. That was until he caught sight of something glinting on his arms. He blinked and raised his hand up to get a better look, not believing what he was seeing. His arms, it seemed, had a line of pearlescent scales running down them. Panic started to rise in his chest as he pulled the sleeves of his shirt up, just to reveal that the scales ran all the way up his arms.

He yanked his shirt off completely, uncaring that he was not alone, finding that the scales continued down each side of his chest, surrounded his nipples, just to meet in a 'v' shape around his naval and disappear into the waist line of his pants. Harry very nearly stripped completely, but Luna made a little coughing noise that gained his attention just as he was about to pull his pants down.

"Not that the current view isn't nice, but I don't think you really want to continue examining your new looks right now."

Harry had the grace to look embarrassed. He wasn't really upset that he had stripped in front of Luna and Thorin, but more about the fact he had made his friend uncomfortable. He set his clothes to rights, took a few moments to pull himself together, and then turned back to Thorin. He took a breath to ask if he could see someone about his accounts- he wasn't stupid enough to think that he was Lord and Heir to all these different Houses and only had the account he had been using for school- but he stopped short when several very different smells reached his nose.

He sniffed and snorted, giving his head a little shake, and tried to make sense of his heightened sense of smell. Without realizing it, his tongue darted out, tasting the air around him, helping him to make sense of things. The smells of earth, metal, fire- or at least smoke, water and one scent Harry was all too familiar with, blood, hit him hard, causing him to shake his head vigorously and wrinkle his nose. There was also something under all those smells that made all of his senses tingle, his bones thrum slightly, and his magic to practically dance inside him. It wasn't exactly an unpleasant experience, just unexpected and rather confusing to the young man.

"Would someone please tell me what in Merlin's name it is that I smell and why it feels like my magic is trying to dance a jig inside me?" Harry asked, confusion, and a little annoyance, lacing his words.

Thorin gave a smile that showed all of his teeth and left Harry feeling rather unsettled.

"Mr. Potter, I would venture a guess that you are scenting Miss Lovegood and myself, as most Creatures have the ability to sense each other in this fashion. It is also quite likely that you are scenting the room we are in. As for why your magic is 'trying to dance a jig', I am not entirely certain why that is. It could be a side effect of having the blocks removed or a manifestation of one of your abilities."

Harry gave a nod of thanks for the information, knowing that he would either have to pay for it monetarily or in the form of a favor. Despite Hermione and Ron's opinions, he actually paid attention to Professor Binns and did extra research on his own so he knew that nothing in Goblin society came without a price tag. It was part of the reason that Wizarding history was filled with Goblin Rebellions, the Goblin Nation would help a prominent Wizard or group of Wizards out and the Wizards in turn would refuse to hold up their end of the bargain.

"Thank you for the information Master Stronghammer. Before we depart for the day, I would like to speak with someone about any vaults connected to my inheritance- unless we have unfinished business here?" Harry asked. Thorin gave that creepy smile again before answering.

"No, I think we have concluded all our business for today, Mr. Potter, though I am fairly certain that we shall meet again." Harry gave another nod, showing that he understood that they were indeed finished for the day, but either Thorin or another member of their nation would be in touch sometime to call in the favor that was owed.

Harry collected his glasses and tucked them and the scroll into a pocket. The trio then left the ceremonial room- Thorin opened the door by pressing a stone in the wall- and found themselves back in the Goblin's office. Harry and Luna went to leave, but were stopped by Thorin's voice before they got too far.

"Mr. Potter," the Goblin called, "you need not worry about paying for the ritual. Miss Lovegood has already arranged payment from her own vaults."

Harry was more than a little surprised. He turned and gave his friend a disbelieving look, and when she merely gave him one of her serene smiles, Harry scowled slightly. He gave Thorin a nod and then left the room, Luna trailing serenely behind him. Harry stopped short of entering the main hall and quickly turned to Luna.

"Do I need to find a way to hide my face?" He asked, wondering if- and how much- the ritual had changed his looks.

Luna cocked her head to the side and looked at him critically for a few moments.

"No, you should be fine. There are scales running up your neck, but your hair covers them fairly well. Your features have changed some so that you now have a mix of your mother, adoptive father and biological father's looks." She then reached out and tugged lightly on a strand of Harry's hair that now reached his shoulders. He was mildly surprised that he hadn't noticed his change in hair length sooner, but decided that he had been to occupied with the scales.

Luna gave him a encouraging smile. She could sense that, behind the calm facade her friend had managed to erect, if he were to have anymore shocks for the day then he would completely breakdown. Harry gave her a nod and smile in return. He then turned and started for the nearest free Goblin, trying to brace himself for whatever utter madness was about to consume his life.

****HPLVHPLV****

Severus Snape was a very busy man. He was currently in his potions lab in Prince Manor, standing in front of several bubbling cauldrons and trying to figure out why the ritual his Lord had used to return to human form had gone wrong. The ritual was meant to return the user to a completely human appearance, not the scaly and hairless result that had happened with the Dark Lord. He was also trying to find a way to reverse the effects at a faster rate. Slowly over the last week the scales had been fading, but for some reason the Dark Lord wanted to speed up the process.

But that was beside the point in Severus's view. It didn't really matter _why_ the Dark Lord wanted the process sped up, only that the project be completed as soon as possible or face his master's wrath. He wasn't having much success though. He had obtained a sample of the Dark Lord's blood and the main ingredients of the ritual potion- except for the Potter brats blood.

The thought of Potter made his blood boil and his heart to clench painfully. Even after all these years, Severus still had a hard time believing that his sweet, intelligent and lovely wife Lily had left him for that Gryffindor oaf known as James Potter. Then, to have physical proof of her change of heart forced on him eleven years latter was enough to make his long buried emotions churn and bubble to the surface.

Severus gave a forceful shake of his head, trying to dispel the thoughts that had filled his head and shoved the feelings of pain and loss back into the back of his mind. Once he had a level head again, Severus went back to his previous thoughts- how to get a sample of Potters blood without anyone finding out why he needed it. He thought about going to Madam Pompfry, but she would want to know why he needed it. He entertained the thought of just taking the needed sample from her stores, but there were charms and wards in place that would register his magical signature that he would be unable to break without causing alarms to sound, thus raising awkward questions. He also thought about going directly to the source, but that posed many problems as well. He didn't know where the brats summer residence was and if he were to ask the Headmaster where it was, the old man would want to know why he was interested in Potters summer home, not to mention the boy himself.

Severus was just thinking up excuses and plausible stories to cover his tracks when an owl swooped in, dropped a letter on his head, and swooped back out. He scowled darkly in the direction the owl had disappeared in, silently cursing whomever had sent the letter. Bending over, Severus picked the letter up from where it had landed on the floor. The parchment was yellow with age and there was no indication of who had sent the thing, Severus noted with mild curiosity.

After checking for any harmful spells, he tore the envelope open and sat down right on the floor from pure shock. Lily. The letter was from _his Lily!_ For a moment, he had no idea what to do. One small part of his being wanted to simply get rid of the letter, but the rest of him was burning with curiosity as to what she had to say all those years ago that was just now reaching him. He turned his attention back to the letter and began to read.

_My Dearest Severus, _

_If you are reading this then it is most likely that I am no longer among the living. I have many things I wish to say, but I do not know where to start. I suppose that I should start by saying that I have never stopped loving you and did not leave you willingly. You are my mate Sev, there never has been and never will be anyone that I love more than you, save for our son Severus._

_Yes, you read that correctly. We have a son Sev, Aaron Carnell Snape- though you probably know him as Harry James Potter. _

Severus dropped the letter. Pot- Har- Aar- The boy was his son? The arrogant, self-centered Potter clone was really _his son_! The information made his brain come to a screeching halt. Severus pulled himself back together enough so that he could finish the letter, perhaps it would hold some of the answers to questions that Severus had only vaguely thought of but desperately needed.

_This letter has been charmed to be delivered to you if and when Aaron learns of his true parentage._

_I know that you are wondering how it's possible, so I'll start at the beginning. It was about a week after you had gone on that mission for the Dark Lord to the vampire clans with Lucius. I had gone to Hogsmead to meet Alice Longbottom for lunch. Afterwards, I ran into Headmaster Dumbledore who invited me back to the school for tea. Rather foolishly, I accepted. After the tea, it was as if I was only an observer in my own body. I tried to fight the effects of the potions, but they were too strong. I said some terrible things in the letter I sent to you, love, please know I never truly meant a word of them._

_Not long after that James Potter was brought into the mix. Dumbledore preformed a marriage ceremony at Potter Manor, then left so that the bond could be... consummated. It never was. James Potter may be (or was, if he has left this world) many things, but a rapist he is not and I don't think he could bring himself to commit such a crime even at the unspoken request of his beloved Headmaster. I think that he truly cared (or still cares) for me, because he stopped dosing me with potions soon after. By then it was too late to mend our relationship though, Sev. Not that I didn't try though. I sent you many letters that I know you got rid of before you even read them. _

Severus felt guilt and shame flood his senses. It was true. Lily had sent him several letters, but he had burned them all without even breaking the seal on the parchment. If he had just been less stubborn and opened at least one of the letters, then perhaps his wife would still be alive, along with James Potter, and he would have been able to raise his son.

_Once it was discovered that I was carrying a child, we moved from Potter Manor to a cottage, I cannot tell you where, as it is under the Fidelius Charm and I am not the Secret Keeper. Before Aaron was born it was decided between James and myself that it would be best if he were to do a Blood Adoption to help protect Aaron from Dumbledore. I placed charms on his appearance for those features that were not changed by the adoption, making our son look like a carbon copy of James. I also regret to say that I placed several binding spells on him, to hide powers that he would gain through your side of the family. They are only minor binding spells though, and should be easy to remove if they have not broken on their own yet and the physical charms are set to slowly wear off once Aaron learns the truth._

The guilt and shame fled, to be replaced with anger. She bound their son's powers? It certainly explained why Pot- Aaron was so miserable at potions! The child should have been a natural in brewing with the Prince line having Earth Element abilities.

_I know that both you and Aaron will most likely view this as a deep betrayal, please try to understand that it was done to try and insure the continued well-being of you both. You play a dangerous game Sev, spying for the Dark Lord while pretending to spy for Dumbledore, (do not worry about this information falling into the wrong hands, the letter has been spelled for your eyes only and only those you wish to read it can) and I deeply fear what could happen if either side were to find out that we had a son. While I believe that the Dark Lord would only 'request' that Aaron join his ranks when he comes of age, I believe that Dumbledore would seek to control and manipulate you both for Aaron's entire life in ways that I cannot imagine. _

_I can only pray that my actions have not made the situation worse and that you can both find it in your heart to forgive me. _

_It is early October as I sit and write this final letter, and I feel that my time here is running short. Once again, know that I love both you and Aaron with all my heart and wish you both peace and joy._

_All my love,_

_Lily_

_Severus didn't know what to think anymore. His mind was reeling with all the new information and, for the first time in his life, he had no idea what to do. So Severus did the one thing that did make sense to him, even though he knew he would pay dearly for it later- he Summoned a bottle of Fire-Whiskey and, without even moving from his spot on the floor, proceeded to get completely plastered._


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N- Well, here I am with a new chapter finally! I'm happy to say that I got a new computer as my old one is – quite literally – falling apart at the seams. Surprisingly, it still works though I got a new one anyway. It's one of those teeny-tiny ones that are mostly for surfing the net. On a side note, I would like to welcome the newest addition to my family, a little girl born just before Christmas! Anyway, you don't want to read long winded A/N's, so on with the chapter!**

**Warnings- This chapter has not been Beta'ed. Be prepared for OOC-ness, and a little gross-out scene near the end plus some foul language (this fic isn't rated M just for future slash!). **

_**Chapter 5**_

Harry walked out of the bank several hours later carrying several Muggle type manila folders containing all the information on his financial inheritance and with the air of a person who had one too many shocks and didn't quite know what to do with them self. Which was quite true. His meeting with the Goblins about the financial aspect of his inheritance had gone both better and worse than he had anticipated.

Better because he found that, even with Dumbledore stealing from his accounts, he had more money (Muggle and Magical), stocks in companies (both Muggle and Magical), and properties (again in both the Muggle and Magical world), than he knew what to do with. It went worse because he had to meet with several different Goblins to get a semi-accurate account of his holdings. Every family line seemed to have a different account manager not to mention the Goblin that was in charge of the School Vault the Founders had set up and all the Vaults of lesser families that he had inherited, was heir to, or that had been gifted to 'poor orphaned Harry Potter, Savior of the Wizarding World'; and also that Dumbledore had given his money to more people than just Hermione and the Weasleys.

He was vaguely aware of Luna leading him back through Diagon Alley - which was nearly deserted seeing as it was getting rather late - and back into Ollivander's shop. He vaguely heard Mr. Ollivander call out a greeting as he was steered upstairs and forced to take a seat on his bed. Somewhere in the back of his mind he registered that Hedwig was perched on the foot of the bed and that Luna was no longer in the room. The question of where she went to entered his mind but left just as quickly as it came. She was soon back though with a couple of potion vials. He took them from her outstretched hand and downed them quickly while she closed the window. The first potion was labeled as a Calming Drought and the second was a slow acting Sleeping Drought. He immediately felt better as the Calming Drought took effect and gave Luna a small smile of thanks which she returned with a smile of her own.

She took the folders from him and placed them on a small desk that sat under the window.

"We can go over all this in the morning with Grandfather if you'd like. Either way, that sleeping potion will take effect in about 20 minutes so you had better get ready for bed."

With that, the blond left him alone.

Harry didn't bother doing anything other than stripping his clothes off and pulling on a ragged pair of sleep pants and simply foregoing a shirt. He was too exhausted, both emotionally and physically, to investigate his body's new appearance.

*****HPLV*****

Lord Voldemort sat at the head of the table in Riddle Manor and watched as his loyal followers entered the room, each bowing in respect to him before taking their seats. His crimson eyes scanned the nearly full table, a small frown crossing his face which was obscured by a hood. There was someone missing. He reached out through the Dark Mark, seeing which of his followers had not answered the summons.

Hmm... Severus had failed to come. The man was one of his most loyal and was hardly ever late to a meeting if his memory of past meetings was correct. He decided to go ahead and start the meeting. If the Potions Master didn't show up by the end, he would send Lucius to investigate. With that in mind, he settled in to listen to the still mostly useless reports of his followers. After about two hours of hearing about what new laws had been passed and who was now in positions of power and influence, boredom and irritation took over and still Severus had not shown up. The man was going to be in for a lot of pain if he did not have a good enough reason to ignore the summons. Even if he did have a good reason, the Dark Lord decided that he would probably end up dealing out a few Crucio's just to make sure the incident never happened again.

"I have heard enough for now. Everyone dismissed. Report back when you actually have something of use to report. Lucius, remain behind. I have something I wish you to do for me."

When everyone save Lucius had gone, Voldemort stood and dropped his hood, allowing Lucius to see his features that were a cross between human and reptilian. They walked to the Apparation point in the entrance hall with Lucius following two steps behind his lord.

"Lucius, it seems that our dear Severus missed tonight's meeting. Go find him then bring him back here for a little... chat, would you?" Voldemort said when they reached their destination.

"As you wish, My Lord." Lucius replied neutrally, giving a bow of respect before Disapparating for his  
friends home hoping that he had a very good reason for missing the meeting.

When he arrived at Snapes' manor, Lucius was met by a rather distraught house-elf.

"Oh, thank the Goddess you be here Master Lucius, sir!" The little elf that Lucius recognized as Missy  
exclaimed while pulling at her ears. "Master Severus be in a right terrible state down in his lab sir and  
nothing Missy be trying to do for him be helping!"

Missy the house-elf then proceeded to drag the blond man to Severus' lab. At first Lucius was too shocked by the elf's behavior to react to being manhandled by the creature then was too worried, though he would never show it, about his friend to protest. Not that he would have done anything to the elf though, she was, after all, not one of his elves and Severus always did maintain that the creatures did better work if they weren't afraid of being cursed every two minutes.

So, with that in mind, Lucius allowed Missy to grab hold of his silk robes and pull him into Severus' lab. The sight that met him was decidedly not what he had envisioned. The elf's frantic state had led him to believe that there had been some kind of explosion that had left Severus incapacitated in some way. While it did appear that there had been at least one explosion - the room was practically covered in a rainbow of useless potions - and that his friend was indeed incapacitated, Lucius quickly discovered that it was not a potions accident that had put Severus out of commission.

No, Lucius had spotted Severus sitting on the floor in one of the only relatively clean areas with his upper body leaning heavily on the wall. The man was surrounded by several empty bottles of Old Ogden's Fire-Whiskey with another half empty bottle in his left hand and was staring at a piece of parchment that was clutched tightly in his right hand. Lucius watched, dazed, as Severus let out a sound that sounded like a cross between a hiccup and a sob before lifting the bottle to his lips and taking good sized drink of the strong liquor.

"Missy has tried everything to help her Master, yes she has, but nothing be working! Missy even tried hiding all the liquor, but Master ordered Missy to be bringing it back and not be taking it away again!"

Missy's quiet but distraught words brought Lucius out of his daze. He immediately went over to his fool of a friend, snatched the liquor away, summoned the strongest hangover potion Severus had and tipped it down his throat. When that didn't have any effect on the man, Lucius shot the most powerful sobering spell he could think of - with absolutely no effect.

"Missy be trying all that too, Master Lucius, but it not be working!" Missy cried, pulling frantically at her ears once again.

"I'm sure you did admirably Missy, but I'll take over from here." Lucius said, never taking his eyes off the drunken mass before him.

When Missy had gone, the blond aristocrat sneered down at his friend, wondering what in Merlin's name had brought on this behavior and how to get the man sober. After a few minutes of thought, Lucius finally came up with a plan that he hoped would work.

He Summoned the strongest Blood Purifying Drought that Severus had and another hangover potion, then once again turned his wand on the Potions Master sending a Vomiting Hex at him. Within a few seconds, Severus was emptying the contents of his stomach with Lucius Vanishing the mess in regular intervals and lifting the hex when nothing but bile came up. He then poured the Drought down the other man's throat and waited for the potion to nullify the last of the alcohol.

About a minute later, a pained groan let Lucius know that his idea was working. Lucius then poured the last potion down Severus' throat, watching as the dark haired man became aware of his surroundings once more. The blond smirked when his friend let out another groan and let his head fall against the wall when he was spotted.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing here Luc?"

"Oh, nothing much. It's just that a mutual friend of ours sent me to find out why you ignored his call. I arrived here hoping to find that the reason for your absence was easily explained, instead I am greeted by a distraught house-elf and practically dragged into your lab just to find you drunk out of your mind!" Lucius drawled, a little anger seeping into his voice. "Now, I've just spent the last few minutes trying to get you sober, so I do believe that you owe me an explanation as to why you did something so monumentally stupid as getting drunk while brewing?" The blond practically shouted while gesturing to the many botched potions.

Severus took a good look around his lab and let out a groan of dismay. It was going to take ages to get his lab back in order!

"Damn it all...!" Severus muttered under his breath, thinking of how much work was ahead of him.

Lucius lifted one elegant eyebrow in response to his friends cursing and waited for Severus to tell him what brought this situation about. He didn't have to wait much longer, as Severus pulled himself up, using the wall as support, and thrust a piece of parchment in his general direction. He took the paper and proceeded to read. By the time he had finished, Lucius felt that he could use a few stiff drinks and it wasn't even his family that had been torn apart!

He was silent for a moment, then quietly stated "He'll want to know about this... tonight. He's asked me to bring you back for a little 'chat'" and handed the paper back.

Severus just grunted in response. Of coarse he was going to have to inform the Dark Lord about this, he just wasn't sure of how to go about it. He hadn't even had time to digest the information, how the hell was he supposed to inform his master that he had a son that he had been trying to kill since he was just over a year old? While the Dark Lord seemed to be slowly regaining his sanity, it didn't mean that he would take this news well. Add this to the fact that he hadn't made much progress with the regenerating potion and that he had missed a meeting (to get trashed no less), Severus quickly came to the conclusion that he was in for one hell of a night.

**A/N - Wow, I kinda grossed myself out with part of this chapter... oh well, I just couldn't resist. Review please and let me know what you think! Feel free to ask me any questions- I'll either send a PM or answer them in an Author's Note in the next chapter.**


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